City ready fresh Anderson assault as United circle waiting for opening

Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Manchester City intend to submit a fresh formal proposal for Elliot Anderson in the coming days, maintaining their position as frontrunners in the race for the Nottingham Forest midfielder.

The 23-year-old has become one of the Premier League's most impressive operators over his two seasons at the City Ground, attracting the attention of England's elite. Both Manchester clubs have been tracking his progress intently, though City appear to have the upper hand.

An earlier bid from City was rebuffed by Forest, but Romano indicates the Etihad outfit are far from done in their pursuit. The journalist stated that City "feel their player wants the move" and remain "confident to get the deal done" after leading the chase since March. United's interest remains genuine, yet City hold the advantage and are "optimistic" about their prospects.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano elaborated that City maintain their confidence and are determined to wrap matters up swiftly. They sense Anderson's willingness to make the switch and will push hard to complete negotiations.

Forest are understood to be holding out for a minimum of £100m, though ex-City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips questioned whether that valuation will materialise. Wright-Phillips suggested that whilst Anderson is "a fantastic player," the asking price may be inflated by modern football's tendency toward inflated valuations. He noted that City's record transfer fee stands at £100m and would be surprised to see any English club matching such a sum.

The path remains open for United to intervene if circumstances shift. Manchester Evening News reporter Tyrone Marshall suggested that should City step back from the deal, United possess both the financial firepower and proven willingness to outbid their rivals. However, Marshall noted there has been no fresh movement from Old Trafford, with City still regarded as Anderson's preferred destination. He added that whether United would pursue such an aggressive strategy under their current regime remains uncertain.

For now, City hold pole position. But in football's transfer theatre, positions can shift rapidly.